DSWD to build provincial warehouse in Apayao to speed up disaster relief

Relief goods will soon be closer to communities in Apayao following the plan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to establish a provincial warehouse and extension office in the province, addressing long-standing delays in disaster response caused by terrain and access constraints.

On February 4, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Conner Mayor Jorico Bayaua signed the deed of donation for a 3,000-square-meter lot in Conner that will house the DSWD extension office and a relief warehouse. The facility is intended to store Family Food Packs (FFPs) and other relief items for faster prepositioning and distribution during emergencies.

Classified as a geographically isolated and disadvantaged area (GIDA), the province has long faced challenges in relief delivery due to mountainous terrain and limited transport routes. Gov. Elias C. Bulut, Jr. said the planned warehouse directly responds to these realities, cutting travel time and reducing dependence on supply runs from outside the province.

Funding for the project, estimated at P30 million, has already been identified following requests raised by Gov. Bulut Jr. and Congresswoman Eleanor C. Bulut-Begtang, who have repeatedly pushed for permanent disaster infrastructure in the province.

The initiative aligns with the directive of Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to improve the speed and efficiency of food and non-food item delivery during disasters, particularly in high-risk and hard-to-reach areas.

Witnessing the signing were Vice Governor Kyle Mariah Chelsea Bulut-Cunan, DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao, and DSWD-CAR Regional Director Maria Catbagan-Aplaten.

Once completed, the warehouse is expected to strengthen the province's disaster preparedness by ensuring that relief goods are already within the province when emergencies strike rather than days away on difficult roads.